Coupler lock operating mechanism



y 29, 1956 H. H. WOLFE 2,747,750

COUPLER LOCK OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1NVENT OR //m /Py .WOLl-TE,

I Q H BY ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 H. H. WOLFE COUPLER LOCK OPERATINGMECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY May29,1956 H. H. WOLFE COUPLER LOCK OPERATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Feb. 9, 1955 IN VENTOR ///7/P/Fy/. W04 F5,

BY kiawg ATTORNEY United States Patent COUPLER LOCK OPERATING MECHANISMHarry H. Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel CastingsCompany, Columbus, 01110 Application February 9, 1953, Serial No.335,850

13 Claims. (Cl. 213-148) The present invention relates to railway carcouplers and pertains to improvements in the mechanism for unlocking thecoupler and improvements in means for preventing inadvertent movement ofthe lock to an unlocked position.

It is now a standard practice in railway car couplers to provide themechanism for operating the lock with a toggle connected to the lowerend of the lock leg and adapted to engage an abutment on the couplerhead or a surface on the knuckle tail to prevent accidental unlocking ofthe coupler. It is also known in the art to incorporate auxiliary orsecondary anticreep means in the lock operating mechanism to preventunintentional unlocking of the coupler when vertical bouncing of therailway vehicle takes place in combination with an abrupt horizontalmovement of the coupler. The prior art includes an auxiliary anticreeparrangement embodying a two-piece articulated rotor lever having a lugat the free end thereof for engaging a bottom surface on the couplerhead to prevent upward movement of the lock in response to forces actingthereon and resulting from vertical bouncing of a railway vehicle incombination with an abrupt change in the horizontal movement of a car.

An object of the invention is to provide means in association with atwo-piece articulated rotor lever of a coupler operating mechanism forlimiting the forward movement of the free end of the composite rotorlever in response to forces which tend to throw it upwardly andforwardly to thereby prevent the anticreep nose on the rotor lever fromengaging with the coupler head before the nose moves into engagementwith horizontally disposed anticreep abutment on the coupler head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure betweentwo parts of an articulated rotor lever so constructed as to limit thedownward pivoting movemen of one part of the rotor lever in relation tothe other so that the lever in its swingable movement in response tovertical bouncing of the coupler and an abrupt change in its linearmovement will prevent the anticreep nose on the rotor lever fromengaging a vertical surface on the coupler head as the anticreep lugmoves towards engagement with an anticreep abutment on the coupler head.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the mounting of theoperating rod for the coupler and so con structing a portion of therotor lever that a hook-shaped end of the operating rod may be mountedon an intermediate portion of the rotor lever and maintained inoperative association therewith by an abutment depending from thecoupler head.

Another object of the invention is to provide the lock operatingmechanism with a rotor of simplified construction and to improve themounting of the rotor on the coupler head to facilitate actuation of thelock operating mechanism and to reduce the energy required to turn therotor and to move the lock operating elements during manual lifting ofthe lock.

A more specific object of the invention is to adapt an auxiliaryanticreep and lock operating mechanism having 2,747,750 Fatented May 29,1956 a two-piece articulated rotor lever to the type F coupler when theanticreep abutment is formed at the upper end of a recess or groove inthe vertical wall at the front of the coupler head whereby the auxiliaryanticreep lug moves through the recess as it approaches the abutmentwithout being thrown against the wall.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent tothose skilled in the art as the present disclosure proceeds and uponconsideration of the accompanying drawings and the following detaileddescription wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a railway coupler taken on alongitudinal vertical plane through the cavity for the lock leg with thelock operating mechanism shown principally in side elevation with theparts in normal positions they assume when the coupler is locked.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the position of parts of the lockoperating mechanism in response to forces which shift some of theelements forwardly and upwardly relative to the coupler head.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing the position ofparts during manual unlocking of the coupler.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation and takenapproximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. l with the parts in the normallocked position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the rotor and Fig. 6 is a perspective view.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the front of the rotor and Fig. 8 is anend view.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of one part of the rotor lever andFig. 10 is a side elevational view of the same part.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the second part of the rotor lever and Fig. 12is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 13 is a front elevational view of the toggle or link and Fig. 14 isa side elevational view.

The lock lifting mechanism and the anticreep means exhibiting theinvention has particular utility in connection with a coupler having awall which depends from the coupler head below the bufiing contour suchas is embodied in the type F coupler. One of the objects of theinvention is to prevent the nose of the auxiliary or secondary anticreeplug from engaging such a depending wall but the invention and some ofthe novel features thereof are not limited to a coupler having a shelfstructure and a vertical wall positioned below the major portion of thecoupler head.

Referring to the drawings the lower forward portion of a coupler head isshown at 10. A fragment of a knuckle is represented at 11 and a portionof the knuckle tail is illustrated at 12. A lock bearing face (notshown) is provided on the knuckle tail 12 and a shelf or an extension 16(Fig. 4) affords support for a lock 17 when the knuckle 11 is in theclosed position. The shelf 16 is provided with a bottom surface 18 ofsuch shape as to provide an abutment for a toggle end of a mainanticreep mechanism of a known type. A leg 19 is carried by the lock 17which extends downwardly in a lock cavity 21 in the usual manner. Theleg 19 of the lock 17 is provided with a slot 22 of elongated shape withthe major dimension of the slot extending at an angle to the horizontalas shown in Figs. 1 to 3. A link or toggle 23 carries a trunnion 24which extends into the slot 22 of the lock leg 19. The upper end 26 ofthe toggle in the normal position thereof when the knuckle 11 is closedunderlies the anticreep surface 18 and any upward movement of the lock17 as a result of vertical oscillations of the railway vehicle will movethe end 26 of the toggle into engagement with the surface 18 to preventinadvertent unlocking of the coupler. The lower end of the toggle orlink 23 includes an otfset portion 27 having an opening therein as shownin Figs. 13 and 14.

A rotor of simplified construction is shown at 25 in Figs. 5 to 8. Thepin which forms the rotor terminates at its ends in cylindrical portions28 and 29 in axial alignment with each other. The rotor pin carries aradial projection 31 on the intermediate portion having fiat sides 32and 33. The central plane 36 of the radial projection 31 is displacedslightly from the axis of the cylindrical end portions 23 and 29 asshown in Fig. 8. The rotor 25 is journalled for rotation on the couplerhead it: and for this purpose a lug 34 is provided on the knuckle sideof the coupler having a circular opening 36 therein for receiving theend 28 of the rotor 25. A radial slot 35 is provided in the lug 34 abovethe opening 36 and of such size and shape as to permit the radialprojection 32. to move endwise therethrough.

The lock cavity 21 is closed at the guardarm side of the coupler bymeans of a wall 37. When the coupler is provided with a shelf 38 and acentral bottom lug 39 as shown in Fig. 2 the wall 3'7 preferably extendsrearwardly therefrom and its lower edge 41 is substantially horizontalas shown by the phantom lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The wall 37 rearwardlyof the lock cavity curves upwardly at its lower edge as shown at 42 inFig. 1 and forms a portion of means for supporting the end 29 of therotor 25. A boss 43 (Fig. 4) may be formed integral with the wall 37 andhave a circular opening 44 therein for receiving the cylindrical end 29of the rotor 25. The rotor 25 is mounted in position by introducing theend 29 through the cylindrical opening 36 in the lug 34 and when theradial projection 31 is aligned with the slot 35 the rotor may be movedinto position so that the end 29 enters the cylindrical opening 44 inthe boss 43 and the side wail 37. The cylindrical end 28 is thenjournalled in the cylindrical opening 36 and the projection 31 isaccommodated between the inner surface of the lug 34 and the inner endof the boss 4-3. In the normal and all operated positions of the rotorthe projection 31 cannot escape endwise through the slot 35. Accordinglythe rotor 25 remains in operative association with the coupler headwithout auxiliary fastening elements and is freely rotatable in itsbearings.

A first part of an articulated two-piece rotor lever is shown generallyat 46 and includes a hook shaped jaw end 4-7 which fits over theprojection 31 of the rotor 25. A flat surface 4-3 (Fig. within hookshaped end lies along the surface 33 of the lug 31 as shown in Fig. l.The element 46 of the rotor lever means is provided with another flatsurface 49 which is substantially parallel to the surface 48 and liesalong the fiat surface 32 of the projection 31. The hook shaped end 47has an arcuate surface at 51 which fits the arcuate central portion ofthe rotor 25. The primary element or first part 46 of the rotor lever isformed with spaced ears 52 at one end as shown in Fig. 9. These ears areprovided with aligned openings 53. A tie member 54 joins the cars 52below the openings 53.

The second part of the rotor lever is shown at 63. An opening 64 isprovided in the rear end of the part 63 and this secondary element isjoined to the first part 46 by means of a rivet 65 which extends throughthe openings 53 and 64. The rear end portion of the second element 63 isprovided with lugs having abutment surfaces 66 and 67. The forward endof the second part 63 of the rotor lever is provided with an anticreeplug or nose 68 which also forms an car at the end of the part 63. Theother ear is shown at 63. These ears are provided with aligned openings76. The offset portion 27 of the toggle 23 is accommodated between theear 69 and the ear portion of the lug 63 and connected to the toggle 23by a rivet 71.

The front portion of the coupler head 10 and in the area forwardly ofthe lock cavity 21 is shaped to provide a downward facing ledge surface72 disposed in a substantially horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 1. Thesurface 72 serves as an anticreep abutment for the lug or nose 68 anddefines the upper end of a recess or groove 73 in the vertical wall 87which affords some of the support for the shelf structure 38.

The present invention provides improvements in the mounting andconnection of the coupler operating rod to the lock operating mechanism.The coupler operating member in the form of a rod is represented at 76and carries a handle (not shown) at its outer end and the rod is mountedfor rotation adjacent the corner of a railway vehicle. The inner end ofthe operating member or rod 76 carries a hook shaped end (Fig. 4) whichoverlies an intermediate portion of the rotor lever means and the secondpart 63 thereof as shown in Fig. 1. The rod 76 extends downwardly alongthe guardarm side of the rotor lever part 63 and under the lever asshown at 77. The coupler operating rod is prevented from inadvertentdetachment from the rotor lever structure by means of the inner surface78 of the side wall 37 as shown in Fig. 4. The other side wall 79terminates at its lower edge as indicated at 81 so as to provide anunobstructed area for the operating rod 76.

The inner end of the coupler operating rod 76 is supported on a centralportion of the rotor lever means approximately midway between the rivetsand 71 and the inoperative position is shown in Fig. 1. Under certainconditions of service horizontal and vertical oscillations are imposedon the coupler head and a combination of these movements produce atendency for the lock lift arrangement to shift from the position shownin Fig. 1 and the part 46 turns in a clockwise direction about the axisof the rotor 25 so that the rivet 65 moves in the direction of the arrow75. The tie bar 54 engages the surface 67 after a small amount ofrotative movement of the part 46 and thereafter the rotor lever parts 63and 46 rotate as a unit about the axis of the rotor 25. The weight ofthe operating rod 76 supported on the intermediate portion of the rotorlever to some extent restrains upward swinging movement of the rotorlever means but when the vertical and horizontal shocks are ofsufficient intensity the forces resulting from a combination of suchoscillations causes the rotor lever structure to swing upwardly. Thesurface 67 and the tie bar 54 are so dimensioned and located that thenose 68 follows approximately the arcuate path in Fig. 2 in movingtowards the abutment surface 72 after the tie bar 54 is in engagementwith the surface 67. Thus the nose 68 of the anticreep lug does notengage the vertical wall 87 within the recess or groove 73 during itsupward movement towards the anticreep ledge 72. The engagement of thetie bar 54 with the lug surface 67 early in the operation of theauxiliary anticreep means limits the forward thrust of the end part 63of the rotor lever assembly and prevents the lug nose 68 from peeningthe wall 87 in the groove 73 and excessive wear on the nose 68 of theanticreep lug is avoided. When the nose 68 engages the surface 72 asshown in Fig. 2, further upward movement of the lock 17 is preventedeven though the primary anticreep means which includes the toggle end 26and the surface 18 has been rendered ineffective.

When it is desired to unlock the coupler the operating rod 76 is rotatedin a clockwise direction with reference to Fig. l. The portion of theoperating rod 76 above the rotor lever part 63 then engages a lug 82 andthe portion 77 of the operating rod forming a part of the hook shapedend and located below the intermediate unapertured portion of the rotorlever part 63 engages a lug 83. A continuation of the clockwise rotationof the operating rod 76 will swing the part 63 upwardly about the axisof the rivet 65. Such hinged movement of the part 63 shifts the nose 68rearwardly of anticreep abutment surface '72 as shown in Fig. 3. Thesurface 66 of the lug 82 then engages a substantially flat surface $4 onthe first part 46 of the rotor lever. Thereafter further clockwiserotation of the operating rod 76 will cause the rotor lever part 63 toswing about the axis of the rotor 25. The link 23 in a position with theend 26 free of the surface 18 is moved upwardly to raise the lock 17 toa position where the knuckle 11 is free to swing to an open position byactuation of the knuckle thrower 86.

One of the advantages of the lock lifting mechanism is that an eyeletfor supporting and connecting the inner end of the operating rod to therotor or to the rotor lever is avoided and the inner end of theoperating rod "76 overlies and embraces an unapertured intermediateportion of the rotor lever part 63. The hook shaped inner end isprevented from disengagement by means of the depending wall 37. Theinner surface 78 of the wall 37 is spaced from the lock operatingmechanism to permit the hook shaped inner end to be mounted on the rotorlever but prevents disconnection of the operating rod when the handleend (not shown) is secured to the railway vehicle. The rotor issimplified and terminates in cylindrical shaped ends 28 and 29 devoid ofany eyelet for connection with the operating rod. The feature of the tiebar 54 engaging the surface 67 during action of the auxiliary anticreepmechanism limits the forward movement of the lever part 63 to preventthe anticreep nose from collision with the coupler head so that it maymove freely into engagement with the surface 72.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect tospecific structural features and with regard to one type of coupler itwill be appreciated that changes may be made in the shape of the partsand the lock lift and auxiliary anticreep means may be applied tovarious types of couplers. Such modifications and others include changesin the general organization may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coupler, a coupler head having a cavity therein, a lockincluding a leg depending into said cavity, means providing a rotorlever mounted on the coupler head for swinging movements in a verticalplane, a link pivotally connected to the rotor lever and said lock leg,an operating member, a portion of said operating member extending acrossthe entire width of an intermediate portion of said rotor lever andresting thereon, other portions on the operating member extendingdownwardly along a side and transversely along an under surface thereof,and means carried by the coupler head preventing disengagement of saidhook shaped end from the rotor lever.

2. In a coupler, a coupler head having a vertically disposed cavitytherein, a lock having a leg extending downwardly in said cavity, rotorlever means pivotally mounted at its rear end on the coupler head forswinging movements in a vertical plane, a link pivotally connected tothe rotor lever means and connected to the leg of the lock supportingthe rotor lever means in a generally horizontal position, an operatingmember, a U-shaped end on said member and extending transversely overthe entire upper surface of an intermediate portion of said rotor levermeans and supported thereon, said U-shaped end embracing a side and alower portion of said rotor lever means, and means on the coupler headspaced from a closed end of the U-shaped end preventing escape of theU-shaped end from said rotor lever means.

3. In a coupler, a coupler head having a cavity therein, a lockincluding a leg extending downwardly into said cavity, rotor lever meansmounted on said coupler head for turning about a substantiallyhorizontal axis, a link pivotally connected to a free end of the rotorlever means and pivotally connected to the leg of the lock, a generallyhorizontally disposed operating rod at a knuckle side of the coupler,and inner end on the operating rod having a portion overlying anintermediate, portion of the rotor lever means, and a portion extendingdownwardly 'along a guardarm side of the rotor lever means and under theintermediate portion of the rotor lever means, and means integral withthe coupler head providing an abutment limiting displacement of theoperating rod towards the guardarm side of the coupler and preventingdisengagement of the operating rod from the rotor lever means.

4. In a coupler, a coupler head having a cavity therein, a lock having aleg extending downwardly into said cavity, rotor lever means pivotallymounted on said coupler head rearwardly of said cavity for swingingmovement about a substantially horizontal axis, a link pivotallyconnected to a free end of the rotor lever means and to the leg of thelock, an operating rod, a hook shaped end carried by the operating rodoverlying an intermediate portion of the rotor lever means and extendingdownwardly along one side thereof and under an intermediate portion ofthe rotor lever means, a wall on the coupler head defining a side ofsaid cavity and extending below the rotor lever means providing anabutment preventing disconnection of the hook shaped end of theoperating rod from the rotor lever means in all operative positionsthereof.

5. In a coupler, a coupler head, a two-part articulated rotor lever,means supporting a first part of said rotor lever on the coupler headfor rotating movement about a substantially horizontal axis, a secondpart of the rotor lever terminating at its forward end in an anticreepnose, a horizontally disposed pivot below said horizontal axisconnecting a rear portion of said second part with the first part, agenerally horizontal abutment on the coupler head adapted to be engagedby said nose upon upward and forward movement of the second part of therotor lever, a surface on the coupler head extending below and forwardlyof said abutment, and means on the first and second parts of the rotorlever arresting pivoting of the second part with respect to the firstpart before said nose may engage said surface in moving towards saidabutment.

6. In a coupler, a coupler head, a two-part articulated rotor lever,means supporting a first part of said rotor lever on the coupler headfor rotating movement about an approximately horizontal axis, a secondpart of the rotor lever having an anticreep nose at its forward end, ahorizontally disposed pivot below said horizontal axis connecting saidsecond part with the first part, a generally horizontal abutment surfaceon the coupler head adapted to be engaged by said nose upon upward andforward movement of the second part of the rotor lever, a shelfsupporting wall carried by the coupler head having a rear surfaceforwardly of said abutment surface and extending downwardly therebelow,and means on the first and second parts of the rotor lever limitingpivoting of the second part with respect to the first part andpreventing said anticreep nose from engaging the rear surface of saidwall in moving towards said abutment surface.

7. In a coupler, a coupler head, a two-part articulated rotor lever withone part hinged to another part, a horizontally disposed pivotsupporting the first part on the coupler head for rotating movementsabout a substantially horizontal axis, an anticreep nose at the free endof the second part of the rotor lever, a generally vertical shelfsupporting wall on the coupler head depending below a normal position ofsaid nose, a horizontal anticreep abutment on the coupler head adjacentsaid wall, and means on both parts of the rotor lever arresting pivotingof the second part with respect to the first part before the anticreepnose may engage said wall in moving towards said anticreep abutment.

8. In a railway coupler, a coupler head, a bufiing surface on thecoupler head, a shelf structure below and forwardly of said buflingsurface, a vertical wall connecting the shelf structure to the couplerhead, said wall having a vertically extending groove therein in a rearface thereof, and a horizontal abutment surface defining an upper end ofsaid groove.

9. In a railway coupler, a coupler head, a buffing surface on a forwardportion of the coupler head, a wall depending from the coupler headbelow said buffing surface, said wall having a vertically disposedrecess in a rear face thereof, a horizontal abutment defining an upperend of said recess, a two-part articulated rotor lever with a first parthinged to a second part, means supporting the first part on the couplerhead for swinging movement in a vertical plane, an anticreep nose at aforward end of the second part aligned with said recess, and means onthe first and second parts limiting pivoting of the two parts andpreventing engagement of said nose with said wall within said recess inmoving towards said abutment.

10. in a coupler, a coupler head having a cavity therein, a lockincluding a leg depending into said cavity, rotor lever means pivotallymounted at its rear end on the coupler head for swinging movements in avertical plane, a link pivotally connected to the rotor lever means andto said lock leg, a generally horizontally disposed operating rod, afirst portion on said rod extending from one side of the rotor levermeans transversely across and resting on the rotor lever means, afurther portion on said operating rod extending downwardly along theother side of and under the rotor lever means, and an abutment rigidwith the coupler head preventing disengagement of the operating rod fromthe rotor lever means when the first portion is in a substantiallyhorizontal position.

11. in a coupler, a coupler head having a vertically disposed cavitytherein, a lock and a leg therefor extending downwardly into saidcavity, rotor lever means including a first part mounted on said couplerhead rearwardly of said cavity for swinging movements in a substantiallyvertical flange, a second part of said rotor lever means being pivotallyconnected to said first part for swinging movements about asubstantially horizontal axis, a coupler operating rod embracingsubstantially the entire intermediate portion of the second part andsupported thereon centrally of its pivot ends, and a rigid abutmentmember carried by the coupler head preventing disengagement of thecoupler operating rod from said second part.

12. In a coupler, a coupler head having a cavity therein, a lockincluding a leg extending into said cavity, a

two-part articulated rotor lever having a pivotal connection at one endto said coupler head and an operative connection at the opposite end tosaid lock leg, said two-parts being capable of relative pivotingmovement durin unintentional swinging of the rotor lever whereby theutstance between opposite ends of the rotor lever is increased, ananticreep nose carried by the second part, a substantially horizontalabutment surface on the coupler head adjacent a lower end of the lockcavity, a wall on the coupler head depending below said abutmentsurface, said wall having a vertically extending recess therein belowsaid abutment surface and in alignment with the path of movement of saidanticreep nose, means carried by both parts of the rotor lever forengaging each other to prevent further pivoting of the two-parts andrestricting the effective length of the rotor lever whereby said noseavoids engagement with said wall in moving towards said abutmentsurface.

13. In a coupler, a coupler head having a bufling surface thereon, alock, a two-part articulated rotor lever having a pivotal connection atone end to said coupler head and an operative connection at the otherend to said lock, said two-parts of the rotor lever being capable ofrelative pivoting movement during unintentional swinging or" the rotorlever whereby the effective length of the rotor lever is increased, ananticreep nose carried by the second part, a substantially horizontalabutment surface on the coupler head adjacent a lower end of saidbufling surface, a wall carried by the coupler head depending below saidhurling surface having a rear surface positioned forwardly of saidabutment surface, means carried by said parts of the rotor lever forengaging each other preventing further pivoting of the twoparts wherebysaid nose avoids engagement with the rear surface of said wall in movingtowards said abutment surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,393,912 Kayler Jan. 29, 1946 2,467,317 Kahler Apr. 12, 1949 2,498,958Kinne Feb. 28, 1950 2,498,959 Kinne Feb. 28, 1950 2,568,312 Wolfe Sept.18, 1951 2,585,889 Wolfe Feb. 12, 1952 2,585,958 Metzger Feb. 19, 1952

